Saturday, August 15, 2009

“This was one of our best family ranch vacations, Dad.”

We recently had the pleasure of welcoming the Donaldsons on a family ranch vacation at the ranch. Read on to hear what they had to say about their trip. As well, check out some of the BEAUTIFUL photographs Kirk took during their stay. Kirk is a talented professional photographer and you can view the shots on Kirk's website. To see the pictures, go to GALLERY, then RECENT, and then click on the Chilcotin Ranch Horsepacking - Slide Show.

Here is Kirk's testimonial:

Chilcotin Holiday’s Horse Pack Trip

“This was our best family ranch vacation dad.” Words spoken from my 17 yr old who has done and seen a lot of the world. My 13 yr old was a bit timid, but by the end of the first day, he was relaxed in the saddle. My family had a brilliant time on our week with the staff and horses of Chilcotin Holidays

We all felt the family warmth at the Ranch as soon as we arrived. The place was real; not touristy or staged. I was impressed with how much liberty we had to help out or just hang out. I was also surprised by the mountain terrain we were taken over. The Chilcotin range has a truly unique beauty. The mountains are a blend of colors and forms of South West high desert. They are surrounded by classic rocky mountain alpine peaks and beautiful sub-alpine forests, crisp glacial streams, lakes and lots of wild flowers. We got to see so much more of it on horseback than we ever could have done backpacking.

The horses were fabulous over scree (rocky slopes), up steep sandy trails and through tight switchbacks. When two grizzly cubs pranced toward us across a meadow followed by momma sow, we were very happy to be on horses. The sow stood up, looked across at us and directed her youngsters away at an angle. It was a real treat and a thrill to see these great creatures so close. The guides carry spray and “bear bangers” if things get tricky. We never felt at risk.

Our campsites were located on a mountain stream and a lake. The platform tents had comfortable sleeping mats and plenty of space. The ranch cooks had whole food meals that kept the omnivores and vegetarian very happy. Lunches were packed lunches enjoyed out on the mountain meadows while the horses rested and grazed.

After getting back to the ranch, we had another treat. We all loved going bareback riding. It was so much more comfortable than I expected at a walk, trot or canter. It was a surprise highlight for us all. The staff did a great job coaching us and making it very fun.

I love the memories I have from our family trips. Our week on horseback was one that every family member thoroughly enjoyed, thanks to everyone at Chilcotin Holidays. It will be a treasured time, and one that may just get repeated. I hear the spring flowers are fantastic!

About Chilcotin Holidays

We are a licensed guide outfitter and we conduct guided wilderness adventures throughout our 5,000 square km operating area. This guide area has been operational since 1880, making it the oldest in British Columbia. More about us HERE.